Chrysalis

Grokus had known that something was brewing in the stratum above. A pesky Colony of ants led by an unusually large specimen, he hadn't thought it would anything that he couldn't manage, but this! This was absurd!

The constant rain of acid had begun soon after the spears landed in the city, coating everything, including himself, in the burning liquid. It wasn't enough to damage him, but it was certainly enough to tick him off. How long had it been since he'd actually been attacked personally? A hundred years?! This entire situation was ridiculous! But it wasn't too late to turn it to his advantage.

"Where is that filthy human Alir?! Why has he not responded to my summons?" he demanded of the air.

He was in a bad position right now, but with the support of the church of the path, everything could be salvaged. He did not underestimate the strength that the church could bring, far from it, he had high expectations. As chaos reigned all around him, Grokus counted down the long seconds as he impatiently waited for news of the priest. With disaster looming larger and the demons falling into disarray in the city, he had grown irritated enough that he’d begun to stir himself at last, shifting the weight on his ponderous legs that hadn't seen daylight in over a decade. He was about to take his first step when a mind bridge reached out to him from across the city. Recognising the mental patterns of the human, he allowed the connection.

[It has taken you some time to respond to my call, priest.]

The city lord allowed his mind to rumble with the undertones of the displeasure he felt. He may be the supplicant in this situation, but he still demanded the respect a demon city lord was due. On the other side of the connection, Alir Vinting rolled his eyes within the inner sanctum of his temple. Push had come to shove and now he wanted to beg a favour. The greed of a demon like Grokus was only to be expected really, considering what he was.

[Things have been rather hectic over the last ten minutes, as you might well imagine,] he responded dryly, not bothering to mask his dislike for the touch of the demonic mind against his own. [How might I serve you, O child of the path?]

Grokus grit the teeth in both his mouths at the open mocking of the last sentence but swallowed his anger down to his belly where he allowed it to simmer.

that I proposed,] Grokus opened, [it seems that the time is ripe for a harvest as the insects have delivered themselves to our doorstep, saving you the

not to yawn in case it was

whether the burden of

will waive the cost,] Grokus forced out, [quite the tempting

of advantage that he could. If Alir didn't detest the games and petty manoeuvring of demons so much, he might have found

their forces are streaming towards this city and on top of that, you have an invasion from above to deal with. Your rule is hanging by a thread, and you come to me asking that the faithful deal with your problem like you're

a hand, [you could sweep half of them from the city yourself. There are thousands of them coming, I can sense them already. Such a wealth in cores and… subjects you could extract from, would be nothing but a boon to you, don't you

I have a little information on these particular insects. Fascinating what can trickle down the grape vine if you squeeze it hard enough.

the mouth split across

stratum? Surely you do not fear them? You really think they stand a

none were better than any others,

of the Legion, and anything the Legion respects

The Abyssal Legion had swept through the third stratum once during his lifetime, leaving death and destruction

[You cannot be serious…]

ropes descending from far above, each already bristling with ants marching down, spraying acid